Monarda plant named ‘Allbrav’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Monarda plant named ‘Allbrav’, characterized by its upright plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; light red purple-colored flowers; long flowering period; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Monarda didyma.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALLBRAV’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Monarda plant, botanically known as Monarda didyma, typically grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Allbrav’.

The new Monarda plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cuijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new strong Monarda plants with attractive flowers and good postproduction longevity.

The new Monarda plant originated from an open-pollination in September, 2013 of Monarda didyma ‘On Parade’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Monarda didyma, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Monarda plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled nursery environment in Cuijk, The Netherlands in September, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Monarda plant by terminal cuttings in Cuijk, The Netherlands, since April, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Monarda plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Monarda have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Allbrav’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Allbrav’ as a new and distinct Monarda plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Light red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Monarda differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘On Parade’, in flower color as plants of ‘On Parade’ have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Monarda can be compared to plants of Monarda didyma ‘Allbell’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,496. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Monarda differ from plants of ‘Allbell’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Monarda have lighter green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘Allbell’.     -   2. Plants of the new Monarda have lighter green-colored stems         than plants of ‘Allbell’.     -   3. Plants of the new Monarda have lighter red purple-colored         flowers than plants of ‘Allbell’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Monarda plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Monarda plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Allbrav’ grown in a 23-cm container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper surface of a typical leaf of ‘Allbrav’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Allbrav’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during September in an outdoor nursery in Cuijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Monarda production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 20° C. Plants were five months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Monarda didyma ‘Allbrav’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Monarda didyma ‘On Parade’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Monarda             didyma, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at             temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four to             six weeks at temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 30° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright plant             form; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 95             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 105.5             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 76.5 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely basal             branching habit with about 25 main stems, each main stem             with about eight lateral branches. Length: About 41.4 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: About 9.8 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Main stems, upright to about 32.5°             from vertical; lateral branches, about 45° from main stem             axis. Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent; slightly             glossy. Color: Developing, close to 144B; fully developed,             close to 143C; at the internodes, close to 143C.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 9.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Apiculate to acuminate.         -   Base.—Truncate to cordate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Moderately pubescent;             slightly glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately pubescent;             matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; somewhat spicy, pleasant.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between NN137A and             147A; venation, close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to NN137D; venation, close to 145A to 145B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent;             slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single labiate             flowers arranged in terminal globular spikes; flowers face             upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 220             flowers developing per inflorescence and about 30,000             flowers developing per plant during the flowering season;             flowers sessile.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering habit, plants             flower from the late spring into September in The             Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity,             flowers maintain good substance for about 20 days as a cut             flower; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate; curved. Texture and luster:             Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 64B; towards the             base, close to 73D; immature calyx, close to 146D.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.9 cm.         -   Flower length (vertical).—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower diameter (horizontal).—About 6 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.9 cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Labiate; upper lip hooded; lower lip, a             single lobe; lips fused 60% of total length. Length, upper             lip: About 3 cm. Length, lower lip: About 3.3 cm. Width,             upper lip: About 1.5 mm. Width, lower lip: About 6 mm.             Shape, upper lip: Lanceolate; apex, obtuse. Shape, lower             lip: Oblanceolate; apex, three-parted. Margin, upper and             lower lips: Entire; lower petal, moderately undulate.             Texture and luster, upper and lower lips, upper and lower             surfaces: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color, upper lip:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 68B;             color does not fade with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 68B; color does not fade             with development. Color, lower lip: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 68A; color does not fade             with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 68A; color does not fade with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl;             lower 92% fused into a tubular calyx. Length: About 1 cm.             Width: About 0.8 mm. Apex: Acute. Margin: Free parts,             entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth and mostly             glabrous; margin, moderately pubescent; matte. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 144B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 146D.         -   Inflorescence bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 58 at             the base of inflorescence; smaller upper bracts, about 50 in             number, are arranged in numerous whorls and are subtended by             the larger lower eight bracts arranged in a single whorl.             Length, upper bracts: About 1.1 cm. Length, lower bracts:             About 2.6 cm. Width, upper bracts: About 1 mm. Width, lower             bracts: About 1.3 cm. Shape, upper bracts: Lanceolate; apex,             apiculate and base, cuneate. Shape, lower bracts: Ovate;             apex, apiculate and base, cuneate. Margin, upper and lower             bracts: Entire. Texture, upper and lower bracts, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, upper and lower bracts,             lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper bracts,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C; towards the apex,             tinged with close to 61A. Color, lower bracts, upper             surface: Close to 137B to 137C; main vein tinged with close             to 61A. Color, lower bracts, lower surface: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.             Filament length: About 1.6 cm. Filament color: Close to             N155B. Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther shape:             Narrowly elliptic; dorsifixed. Anther color: Close to 59A.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11D. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3.8 cm.             Stigma diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, unequal.             Stigma color: Close to N66D. Style length: About 3.6 cm.             Style color: Close to N66D; towards the base, close to             N155B. Ovary color: Close to 152D.         -   Seed and fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Monarda to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Monarda not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Monarda     plants to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Monarda have exhibited good     tolerance to rain, wind and high temperatures about 40° C. and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Monarda plant named ‘Allbrav’ as illustrated and described. 